


Subtle-Tea

by Basmathgirl



Series: From July to AUgust [4]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Pirate, British Culture, F/M, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, because tearooms exist too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25188670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basmathgirl/pseuds/Basmathgirl
Summary: Donna finds out that working in a tearoom can be just as thrilling at those coffee shops pretend they are.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble
Series: From July to AUgust [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820155
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27
Collections: AUgust 2020





	Subtle-Tea

**Author's Note:**

> **AUgust Prompt:** ~~coffee shop~~ tearoom AU, pirate AU  
>  **Disclaimer:** I don’t even own the AUgust prompt table I used.  
>  **A/N:** I've been threatening to write a tearoom AU for years so here it is at last.

‘Why work in a tearoom?’ they’d said to her. ‘You’d get nothing but little old ladies.’

Huh! So much for that, Donna thought to herself. For the epitome of adventuring excitement had just walked in through the front door to brighten her day. Yes, a modern(ish)-looking pirate was stood in the doorway with hunger in his eyes. 

Feeling a desperate need to welcome him in, she stepped nearer to happily greet him. “Good afternoon. Are you here for a cream tea, or just to order cake from the counter?”

The Doctor adjusted his stance to take this in. He then eyed the ginger woman stood before him and decided to ditch his original plan of ordering a toasted cheese sandwich and stay for a while. “A full afternoon cream tea, please.”

She smiled brightly at him. “Then I’ll show you to a table. If you would walk this way,” she suggested, and began to lead him towards a table by the window. She pulled out a chair with the best view of the street outside, in invitation for him to be seated. “I’m Donna and will be serving you today. Have you ever been in here before?”

He shook his head as he sat down and ran his hands along the white linen tablecloth. Real tablecloths. Well, I never. “I’m called the Doctor, and no, I’ve never been in here. I’ve never had an afternoon tea before either.”

“You haven’t? Oh, you are in for a treat, Doctor,” she promised. “I will bring you a pot of tea of your choice in a moment and prepare a display of individual cream cakes, scones and sandwiches for you to eat. Have you any preference with what type of tea you would like?”

Feeling a bit out of his depth, he answered, “Whatever you would recommend.”

“Seeing as you are new to this, I’ll bring you some regular tea,” she decided. “Would you like me to take your hat?”

His eyes travelled upwards until he frowned. “I’d rather keep it with me.”

“Then I’ll lay it down on this spare chair next to you, if that’s okay. Wide brims can be a bit intimidating in a place like this,” she explained as she took it from his head.

Looking around at the general clientele, who were throwing them anxious glances, he had to concede that she was probably right. “Sorry,” he mumbled. 

“No problem,” she trilled, and gave his shoulder a friendly pat. “Won’t be a moment.”

She returned about two minutes later with a china cup and saucer, a pot of tea, a jug of milk and a bowl of sugar on a tray, which she carefully laid out on the table in front of him. “Help yourself,” she said. “The pot should hold at least two cups of tea, but if you need more or anything else, just let me know. We recommend that you give the tea a minute or two to brew before you pour it out.”

The anxious glances continued to travel in his direction, causing him to squirm. To his relief, Donna soon returned with a cake stand with a display of the promised cakes and sandwiches held on three different tiers. 

“Here’s your afternoon tea,” she commented as she placed these new items on the table, “along with your butter, jams and clotted cream.”

“What are they for?” he wondered, now confused.

“The scones,” she supplied, and saw his expression drop further. “Have you never had cream scones before?”

“No,” he reluctantly answered, keeping his voice low. “Not much call for them onboard ship.”

Taking pity on him, she leant close and whispered, “I have a break due coming up. How about I come and sit with you and show you how to eat them? I’ll bring out my own scones and tea. All at no extra charge to you, of course.”

Now thoroughly cheered, he easily replied, “Yes please. That’s very kind of you.”

“It’d be my pleasure,” she kindly responded when he blushed. “And in return, you can tell me why a pirate is suddenly having full afternoon cream teas.”

“I can hardly wait.” He then beamed a sunny smile at her.


End file.
